Index Archive

14 June 2015

Maggi Ban Case Know 25 Facts regarding Indian Food Standards Quality Control
Last 10 years or 20 years or 30 years how many years we Indians are eating Maggi
Do you remember?

one honest officer found MSG and Lead and he followed the case And result is Maggi Ban in India

But this Ban exposed many things – Following are 25 facts and revelations

1-
Many Indian states do not have labs to check Lead and other chemicals.
Example –
After Maggi Case now Rajasthan Government has sanctioned Rs. 7 Crore for lab
Assistants are asked to test samples in about 40% of the state’s labs in Rajasthan.

Data from the central Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
(FSSAI) shows about 13% of the 2.4 lakh various product samples had
failed lab tests since 2011.

This makes India the number one country in terms of unsafe food

2-
Law is unclear that is reason now they are trying to punish actors AB, PZ, MD who did the advertisement of Maggi

Sure High Court will not give them permission, ad is nothing but small short movie.

3-
Many brands sold their products without any approval also.

4-
Mango and Calcium Carbide
Calcium carbide ripened mangoes are openly sold in markets despite the fact that the chemical is harmful for health
It is difficult to find an evidence of calcium carbide in the mangoes as it evaporates when it comes in contact with air moisture
Calcium carbide ripened fruits contain traces of arsenic and phosphorus and may cause mouth irritation, stomach upset and result in headache, dizziness and mood disturbances.
How it is used
Just place a small packet containing calcium carbide with the Mango boxes
The chemical reacts with the moisture and releases acetylene which catalyses the ripening process.

5-
Mango and ripener ethephon
Ripener Ethephon is not banned
Government needs to ban it but it is not banned
Ripener ethephon is easily available in the market as a pesticide
How Ethephon is used?
Dip the mangoes in a solution of ethephon

6-
In April this year, the food safety department in Goa destroyed 12,000 kg of mangoes that were ripened using ethephon.
Do not know about fine or jail sentences or name of the company or owners of destroyed mango

7-
Around 13% of food items, including packaged water, ice cream and milk, tested by Maharashtra’s food safety regulator between March 2014 and April 2015 were either labelled substandard or unfit for human consumption.

8-
The Mumbai FDA found that four of the 10 packaged drinking water samples had a bacteria count far above the prescribed safety limits, making it unsafe to eat. “

9-
When milk was tested on national level it revealed that 68% of the milk samples tested did not confirm to the standards laid down in the Act
Milk quality = Substandard not good for consumption
10-
Ice cream –
The ice cream packs did not have proper labelling of its contents.
Ice cream cups were stored in extremely unhygienic conditions that could lead to contamination

11-
Ghee, oil, masala powders, flour and mawa (a milk-based ingredient widely used in preparing sweets) are other food items which are commonly found to be substandard.

12-
No uniform rules
Lack of uniform testing procedures for samples
This is reason Maggi packet becomes safe when tested in one state and unsafe in another state
Uttar Pradesh = Not safe
Goa = Safe

13-
Developed countries follow the uniform testing procedures
But here in India FSSAI doesn’t conduct any tests, saying food is a state subject
Not ready to take any responsibility

14-
Uttar Pradesh has only five laboratories or one per 40 million people and half of these are not certified to carry out tests by the national quality accreditation board.

15-
USA -
According to USFDA data it rejected more snack imports from India than from any other country in the first five months of 2015.
The FDA has repeatedly refused entry to Haldirams whose products were found adulterated with a “pesticide chemical”.

16-
The USFDA also found pesticide in basmati rice from a Haryana supplier in December 2014, and a “filthy, putrid, or decomposed substance” in another basmati consignment.

17-
Nestle’s instant noodle was also refused permission to enter the US market by FDA on multiple occasions for not mentioning food allergens and other nutrients.

18-
USFDA found salmonella in products coming under the “spices, flavours and salts” category from other leading Indian manufacturers as well.

19
India - Air Pollution Air Quality –
No standards Now Just Government started to think about it

20-
Ground Water in India –
Ground water is also polluted

21-
Many Indians are so foolish when EU or US reject the Indian Mango saying not safe for consumption
Many Indians become happy thinking that now cost of Mango will come down,
without thinking that we should throw such mangoes in gutter and should ban those companies to safe guard the health of Indian citizens

22-
In India laws are made in such a way that food companies benefit and make more profits.
Indian government does not care about Indian Citizens
In India we pay higher prices similar to US and European nations
But what we get we get third class, substandard quality food
Reason is useless laws full of loopholes.

23-
Why only Maggi is banned and everyone is upset on Maggi?
The company ignored the test conducted in year 2014
Did not take any action.
Did not recall that batch of Maggi
Did nothing to control damage
Global CEO came to India to solve the problem
Other Indian CEO who took the Maggi to no. 1 position was recalled to India from Sri Lanka

Now Maggi is paying price for ignoring the UP test results

A recall of small batch of Maggi Packets from particular UP district would have saved Maggi but they did nothing just ignored problem and forgot about the Power of Social Media.

Nestle's relationship with India dates back to 1912, when it launched in the country as The Nestle Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company (Export)

Last 30 years Maggi is on No. 1 position and over confidence of company killed Maggi

24-
Always Remember USFDA is No. 1 regulator in the world
Always believe their reports
Once they say its unhealthy means unhealthy
No. 2 is EU Regulator
Don’t know the position of Indian Regulator FSSAI

25-
Need for New Food Regulator Law –
Main duty of the FSSAI is to help Food Ministry and they do that only
Thus India needs new Food Regulator having similar powers like USFDA regulator.